General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAn Emotarian, Emoprog and Firebagger walk into a bar...
...and?
I set it up, you knock it down.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)we can do it
(12,217 posts)WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)It was the mushy middle that bailed on Obama in 2010.
Fact.
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)Even if many of the more reasonable progressives and most liberals did still turn out, it wasn't enough, sadly.....had it not been for idiots like Greenwald & Hamsher(the latter I used to really like, btw, during my emoprog days), we would have had a better chance at fighting back the Teabagger tide.
I won't deny that a lot of Indie voters stayed home. They did, no question; but that's only half the story. So did certain sections amongst us Progressives, and that's what pushed us over the brink in the end. Let's hope 2014 doesn't end up being a repeat of that.
frylock
(34,825 posts)do you have some statistics to back up your assertion? this Greenwald/Hamsher progressive voted, as did ALL of the Greenwald/Hamsher progressives I know.
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)Hey, if you & your friends voted, good for you! Because many of the actual Firebaggers didn't. You were amongst the exceptions, I'm afraid.....
frylock
(34,825 posts)AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)This picture may help explain things:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xHi84BYvQlE/Uku7p3-NfWI/AAAAAAAAKtU/bg6XSu4OShU/s1600/actual+votes+08+vs+12.PNG
See that? Only 39 million votes in 2010. Sorry, but that couldn't ALL have been middle-of-the-road Indie voters. There were definitely some Firebagger-types amongst the absentees as well; in fact, they practically tipped the scales in that regard. If it hadn't been for Hamsher, Greenwald and company bashing the Prez left and right, we'd had had a better chance, and certainly wouldn't have been out numbered by the Repubs, either. The Emoprogs in the AltMedia have a LOT of explaining to do.
frylock
(34,825 posts)this groundbreaking stuff right here, man! have you brought this to the attention of the news orgs?
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)I don't care how the emoprogs in the AltMedia spin things. The objective facts remain: Democratic voting participation dropped by a highly unusual level in 2010....over 40 percent, in fact. And certain more radical factions amongst the progressive movement were unfortunately rather notably amongst those who decided to sit out the elections; in fact, it's at least highly likely, if not virtually certain, that these very same people were the ones that tipped us over the losing edge in terms of sheer numbers. Even if it remains true that a good number of progressives, particularly more rational ones, remained to actually turn out, it still couldn't make up for what was lost. And yet, some people remain unable to see the whole picture for what it really was.
frylock
(34,825 posts)better luck tomorrow.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3779249
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)Sorry, frylock, but you still came up short.
30 million voters lost cannot be entirely explained by independents or young voters, sorry to say. The fact remains that many amongst certain sectors of the progressive movement, especially the Greenwald/Hamsher types, stayed home as well, no matter how the lamestream media or the Firebaggers would like to pin it *all* on independents or disenchanted young voters(a good number of whom, even if not a majority perhaps, were likely in the ranks of the emoprogs, anyway, which would therefore shoot a MAJOR hole in your theory.). Now, if the loss had been more like 14, 15, or maybe 16 million that would make more sense....even with 18 or 19 million, though it'd be a stretch, might be believable. But this is 30 million we're talking about. A loss that COULD NOT have occurred without some progressives and other liberals staying home.
frylock
(34,825 posts)lotsa words and no pictures, so I hope you can keep up.
Independents Fueled G.O.P Gains
Democrats lost significant support Tuesday among nearly all demographic groups in a midterm election that was a referendum on President Obama and a Democratic-controlled Congress in a stubbornly weak economy.
Independent voters, who in 2006 mostly voted for Democrats and helped end the Republicans 12-year majorities in the House and Senate, this time turned just as strongly against Democrats, according to surveys of voters who were leaving polling places. Two other groups who recently supported Democrats suburban residents and college graduates also gave Republican Congressional candidates more votes this year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/us/03exit.html?_r=0
Young Voter Turnout Fell 60% from 2008 to 2010; Dems Won't Win in 2012 If the Trend Continues
Everyone knows that young voters were less enthused about the 2010 midterm elections than they were about the 2008 presidential election, when their votes powered Barack Obama to a landslide victory and gave Democrats big boosts in Congressional contests. But detailed studies of the election reveal that the decline in voting by Americans aged 18 to 29 was actually more serious than initially imagined. In 2008, polls showed that young people were overwhelmingly supportive of Obama and the Democrats. And they turned out in droves. According to the research group CIRCLEThe Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagementwhich tracks civic engagement among young voters, 51 percent of 18- to-19-year-olds voted that year. In 2010, polls showed that young people were still supportive of Obama and the Democrats. But only 20.9 percent of them bothered to vote.
http://www.thenation.com/blog/156470/young-voter-turnout-fell-60-2008-2010-dems-wont-win-2012-if-trend-continues#
Independent Voters Favor GOP in 2010 Election Tracking
PRINCETON, NJ -- By an average 10 percentage-point margin since March, 45% to 35%, independent registered voters have consistently preferred the Republican to the Democrat when asked which congressional candidate they would vote for in their district. Independents' preference for Republicans has been generally consistent over this time, with the gap in favor of Republicans increasing slightly since March, from 8 to 12 points.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/141086/independent-voters-favor-gop-2010-election-tracking.aspx
Women, Independent Voters Show Biggest Swing From 2008
Women and independents took the biggest turn away from Democrats since the 2008 election, a Fox News analysis of exit polling from Tuesday's midterm vote shows.
In both demographic groups, the percent of eligible voters remained constant from 2008 to 2010. Women turnout was 53 percent, while 28 percent of registered independents voted.
But their preferences had a big impact on the GOP win. Whereas the gender gap played a major role in 2008 with women voting for Democrats 56 percent of the time compared to Republicans 42 percent of the time, in 2010 the split was 49-48 percent for Democrats to Republicans.
Likewise, independent voters supported Democrats 51 percent of the time compared to 43 percent of the time for Republicans in 2008. But in 2010, the Democrats garnered only 39 percent of the independent vote compared to 55 percent for the GOP.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/03/women-independent-voters-biggest-swing/
Pew Poll: Independent Voters Swing Right, Oppose Party Supported in 08
ABC News Amy Walter reports: The Pew Center for People and the Press today released an extensive and exhaustive look at independent voters, finding that political independents now favor Republican candidates by about as large a margin as they backed Barack Obama in 2008 and congressional Democratic candidates four years ago. Even more problematic for Democrats is the fact that independents, who typically are not engaged by midterm elections, are now more likely than Democrats to say they are giving a lot of thought to this one. But, the gains for the GOP among this group may be fleeting. First, their allegiance to party is very fluid. Many of todays independents were themselves partisans not so long ago," the report notes. "More than half of independents say they have been a Democrat (23%), a Republican (22%), or both (9%), in the past five years. Moreover, these voters do not have a strong allegiance to the GOP. Rather, they are motivated by highly negative feelings about the governments performance and harsh judgments about the political status quo. In other words, if the GOP disappoints them next year, theyd be just as happy to throw them out on their ear too. The poll was conducted Aug. 25-Sept. 6 among 2,816 registered voters, including 2,053 considered the most likely to vote on Nov. 2.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2010/09/pew-poll-independent-voters-swing-right-oppose-party-supported-in-08/
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)All of my Alaska political friends are "emoprogs," whatever the hell that's supposed to mean, and they all voted in 2010. We had a very exciting election up here.
Vanje
(9,766 posts)Those fucking Canadians.
Its time to put the DU blame exactly where it belongs!
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)Do you think people like me stayed home? I'd love to see something to back that up but I know we won't.
I wish we had more fighters on our side like GG and Hamsher rather than Left Bashers who don't seem to support Democratic policies at all.
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)And we'll need you guys in 2014, too. Even if we may disagree on some things, we still need to stick together.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)rug
(82,333 posts)Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)They know a corporatist conspiracy when they see one.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)a gig at a local young Republican's keg party.
joshcryer
(62,287 posts)Taverner
(55,476 posts)"That's no bloated sack of protoplasm, that's my WIFE!"
bluesbassman
(19,385 posts)Taverner
(55,476 posts)frylock
(34,825 posts)it nearly killed him!
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Vanje
(9,766 posts)Thank you.
madinmaryland
(64,934 posts)Earth_First
(14,910 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)Last edited Thu Oct 3, 2013, 09:44 PM - Edit history (1)
Oh YES indeed, there will be jokes and stories told about the Emotarian blogger that bobbled his head one too many times in the shark tank! Yes indeed!
hootinholler
(26,449 posts)Woodchuck Cider!
WorseBeforeBetter
(11,441 posts)Chuckles!
kimbutgar
(21,270 posts)I've been seeing emo on this site for days. What does it mean?
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)Vanje
(9,766 posts)Fresher target needed.
Enter Emos.
(They're like hippies , only not as old, and not as dead.
Same game. Its the exact same game.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)by a bunch of people that don't reside in our country for not voting, by a bunch of people that aren't eligible to vote in our country.
Meanwhile, they voted, but the people that can't vote in our country because they don't live under our laws chastised them.
Sid
Aerows
(39,961 posts)or something?
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)cui bono
(19,926 posts)Okay, I literally did laugh out loud. Good one!
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Orsino
(37,428 posts)immoderate
(20,885 posts)... because these are three flavors of disillusion.
--imm
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)DireStrike
(6,452 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,430 posts)Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)simply because he hasn't been able to get everything done, or singlehandedly take down Wall Street, etc.(and yet, most of these people didn't bother to actually vote in 2010. Funny how that works, huh?)
That's a good start, I think. Because, sadly, it's pretty much the truth.
Buns_of_Fire
(17,213 posts)TheKentuckian
(25,035 posts)to heckle the poor bastards in the exchange.
longship
(40,416 posts)wandy
(3,539 posts)After many searches the bartender screams...
LAST CALL before any of the three reach the bar.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)and even the Firebagger, third in line, is dumb enough to hit his head on it...
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)Go somewhere else. We don't serve your kind here at The BOG.
Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)The trio sits down at the bar and quickly knocks back 10 boilermakers apiece, and gets shitface drunk. The bartender goes out back for a smoke, and the firebagger suddenly remembers that they have to get back to the Capitol for vote. The Emoprog lays some money on the table, and they get up to leave, but discover that they are so drunk that they can't find the door where they came in.
So they decide to split up and look for an exit, and meet back at the bar in five minutes. Five minutes pass, and they meet back at the bar.
Firebagger says, "I found a door, but it leads to an alley that has ten foot walls on each end, and there's no ladders, so we can't get out that way."
Emoprog says, "I found a door, too, but it leads to a staircase that goes to the basement, and the door out of the basement is locked, so we can't go that way"
Then Emotarian says, "Well, I didn't even find a door. There has to be a third way!"
Whereupon the three of them look at each other in horror, spit on the floor in unison, and proceed to sit back down at the bar and order another round as the bartender returns from her smoke break.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)Every time the bartender asks "What do you want?" ... they say ...
1) "A primary opponent for Obama".
2) "Obama to use the bully-pulpit more".
3) "Obama to stop giving so many pretty speeches".
4) "A single payer bar tab".
5) "A total collapse of the capitalist society under which you serve watered down drinks, so that a socialist utopia will emerge in which the drinks are provided equally to all members of society, not just those of us who have the money. Money that the 3 of us don't actually have, sadly."
6) "No drinks. We're just here to protest your use of genetically modified hops in the beer".
7) "Oppps, this is the DU Lounge??? Sorry, we meant to go to General Discussion."
8) "We heard Glenn Greenwald like to come here, we have NSA secrets to share with him."
9) "Three white Russians, and a basket of Putin chips please."
10) "Oh crap, the members of the BOG come here!!"
Adam051188
(711 posts)I guess i'm probably considered an emotarian. I'll shut up and I deeply regret offending anyone with my writing style. I don't know I guess I grew up thinking expressing the way you felt was a good thing no matter what because it's only words and meant to spark ideas? Playing devil's advocate I guess you could call it? was unaware it was so unappreciated.
whatchamacallit
(15,558 posts)"Where the hell did you guys get such stupid fucking labels? Emotarian, Emoprog, Firebagger? What DINO-Denis-Miller came up with that witless shit?"
Vanje
(9,766 posts)No.
It wasnt my wife.
It wasnt even the odious, Dennis Miller.
That shit came straight from a few star members of the BOG
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)And the bartender says, "well none of you are right", so they all left.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)gulliver
(13,205 posts)..."how many centrists, authoritarians, and third-wayers does it take to put in a light bulb."
"I don't know, " said the Firebagger. I'm still trying to figure out what an Emoprog is.
Ellipsis
(9,124 posts)...try the Split Pea Fritters with no government over-sitel, $3 flaming anarchists till close."
GeorgeGist
(25,326 posts)offers them Koolaid.